Textile machine control device



June 5, 1956 R. w. M CULLOUGH 2,748,430

TEXTILE MACHINE CONTROL DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 29, 1953 FIG FIG 2 INVENTOR.

ROBERT W. M CULLOUGH BY W ATTORNEY FIG 3 June 1956 R. w. MCCULLOUGH 2.748,430

TEXTILE MACHINE CONTROL DEVICE Filed Jan. 29, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F I G 4 37 67 5/ 5a 33 XL 57 38 6 5\ l9 1 3| 7 63 a v 59 Q u 65 H I L I V j jll' lu in.

INVENTOR.

ROBERT W. MCULLOUGH ATTORNEY TEXTILE MACHINE CONTROL DEVICE Robert W. McCullough, Pendleton, S. (3., assignor to Deering Milliken Research Corporation, Pendleton, S. C., a corporation of Delaware Application January 29, 1953, Serial No. 333,956

9 Claims. (Cl. 19-165) This invention relates to a control device for textile machines and is directed more particularly to 'a stop motion for pin drafters, roving frames and similar machines used for the handling and/or processing of sliver, roving and the like. A prime desideratum in the manufacture and processing of sliver, roving and other textile material is that the uniformity of thematerial should be as high as pos sible, which is to say that variations in diameter of the material should be held to a minimum. While from a theoretical standpoint, absolute uniformity would constitute the ultimate; from a practical standpoint, such is not attainable. It has been observed that the quality of the end product; i. e., cloth, is not materially affected by gradual variations in diameter of the material provided that sudden or extreme variations in diameter are not present.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a stop motion for monitoring the passage of material through a textile machine which stop motion is insensitive to gradual variations in diameter of such material but which upon the occurrence of a sudden or extreme variation in diameter will detect such sudden variation and stop the machine.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a stop motion which is adjustable for response to any predetermined rate of variation in'diameter or thickness of textile material.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a stop motion which is inexpensive to assemble, fool-proof in operation, and capable of withstanding the rough treatment and wear and tear incidental to mill use.

Other and further objects and advantages'will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the sliver monitoring unit of my invention with electrical connections omitted for purposes of clarity; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same; Figure 3 is a right side elevation; Figure 4 is a circuit diagram of my invention, the monitoring unit being illustrated in schematic form in association with related parts of a textile machine; Figure 5 is a plan view of an alternate form of only the floating sliver contacting element of the monitoring unit of my invention; and Figure 6 is a front elevation of the alternate form of Figure 5.

In general, my invention comprises a base portion or plate for attachment to a textile machine and over which the sliver passes as it proceeds to or from the machine and an element for monitoring the thickness of the sliver mounted on said base portion for floating movement with respect thereto. The monitoring element is made up of a pair of sliver engaging members hingedly connected together and capable of movement both together as a unit and independently of each other. Associated with the pair of members is an electro-mechanical sensing means which detects relative movement between the members such as is induced by the occurrence of sudden variations atent i ice of sliver diameter and functions to control the machine in response thereto.

Turning now to a detailed description of my invention, in Figure 1 the numeral 11 designates a base plate which can be attached to a textile machine (not shown) at any suitable location thereon by means of a mounting hole 12 provided at one or more corners of the plate. At each end of the base plate 11 is an upwardly directed U-shaped guide 13 which maintains the sliver in a relatively fixed path as it crosses the base plate 11. Secured to the base plate 11 adjacent one side thereof is an elongated U-shaped bracket 14 in which a pivot bar 15 of circular or rectangular cross section is journaled by means of a pair of pins 17. Rigidly carried by the pivot bar 15 and movable therewith is a sliver contacting member 19, preferably of cylindrical configuration, which extends substantially across the full width of the base plate 11. There is formed in the yarn engaging member 19 a horizontal slot 21 which receives the free end of one section 23 of a hinge plate 25, the free end of the other section 27 of the hinge plate 25 being received by a similar slot 29 formed in a second yarn engaging member 31, identical to member 19, but free of direct attachment to pivot bar 15.

The short leg of an upstanding L-shaped member 33 is rigidly fixed to member 19, the long leg thereof projecting horizontally in the direction of member 31 and having at its end an extension 35' provided with flat upper and lower surfaces. Rigidly attached to the section 27 of .the hinge plate 25 is a vertical plate 36 which supports in spaced, opposed, superposed relationship a pair of normally closed snap action sensitive switches 37 and 38 of the type sold under the trade-mark Micro-Switch by the Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Co. The extension 35 extends between the actuator pins 39 of the snap action switches 37 and 38 so that a pivotal movement of either of the members 19 and 31 results in the actuation of either one or the other of the switches 37 and 38. Preferably, the vertical plate is slotted, as at 41, and the switches 37 and 38 attached thereto by means of male and female threaded members 43 and 44, which permits vertical adjustment of the switches relative to extension 35.

Projecting outwardly and horizontally from each of the members 19 and 31 at either end of the monitoring unit is an inwardly faced C-shaped member 45 which registers generally with one of the U-shaped guides 13 and fits down over the upper portion thereof for the purpose of keeping the sliver within the guides 13 during its ingress to and egress from the monitoring unit.

Reference is now made to the circuit diagram and schematic illustration of my invention as shown in Figure 4. In this figure, a pair of main electrical leads 51 and 53 connect the motor 55 with a source of electrical power (not shown). The motor 55 through a mechanical connection 56 indicated by dotted lines drives a textile machine (not shown) but which is generally symbolized by a pair of rolls 57 and 59 acting upon a length of sliver S. Connected in series with the main leads 51 and 53 are two contacts or armatures 60 and 61 of a normally open three-armature relay havinga coil 63.

Connected across the main leads 51 and 53 is a series hold-down circuit comprising the coil 63, snap action switches 37 and 38, a normally closed push button stopping switch 65, and the third contact 62 of the relay.

For the purpose of energizing the coil 63 to effect the closure of the normally open contact 62, I employ a series starting circuit bridging the leads 51 and 53, which consists of a normally open push button switch 67 and the coil 63. i t

The operation of the preferred form of my invention will be easily understood from a consideration of Figure 4. It will be observed that the sliver S passes between 3 e. ba e plate and he. membe s 2. and.. 3. and hat as gradual variations in the diameter of the sliver occur the relative movements of the members 19 and 31' resulting therefrom is not sufiiciently great to cause the actuation of either of the snap action switches 3:7." and.38;'. However, upon the occurrence of a relatively large variation, the member 19. will pivot either upor down causing the L-shaped' member 33-to.engage either one or-the other of'the switches 19 and 31, opening the switch and thus. de-energizing the coil 63. The energization of the coil 63. allows the contacts 60. and 61 to open, interrupting the supply of current to. the motor 55. The purpose of the normally closed push button switch 65 is to allow the operator of the machine to shut off the motor withoutresort to manual deflection of the monitoring unit.

There is shown in Figures and 6 a modified form of a portion of my monitoring device, the remainder being unchanged from the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. In lieu of the non-rotatable members 19 and 31, I have substituted a pair of rotatable rollers 71 and 73, the first of which is journaledin a first plate section 75 fixedly secured to the pivot bar 77, the second beingjournaled in a second plate section 79 hingedly connected to the first plate section 75 as at 81. To permit the rotation of roller 71, the L-shaped arm 83 and extension 85 is carried by the first plate section 75. This modification is particularly useful in connection with the processing especially weak slivers which might tend to be disrupted or attenuated by the skidding action of non-rotatable members 19 and 31.

Obviously, the sensitivity of my device, that is, the diametric variation necessary to effect actuation thereof, can be varied or selected to suit any particular circumstances either by the selection of a push-pull switch having the required throw before closure of the contact, by varying the leverage of the various components of my metering unit or by adjusting the position of the pushpull switches 37 and 38 with respect to the extension 35.

It will thus be apparent that I have provided a stop motion which is extremely simple and inexpensive in construction, positive and foolproof in operation, and which will function to shut off a textile machine upon the occurrence of relatively large variations in sliver diameter but will permit the passage therethrough of sliver having rela ively small variations in diameter.

'1 wish it understoodthat while my invention has particular utility in connection with relatively coarse, loosely twisted textile material, such as sliver, wool top, roving and the like, it is by no means limited thereto. For this reason, the use of the term sliver throughout the aforegoing description should be construed as illustrative only.

Those skilled in the art will undoubtedly appreciate that the present invention is capable of modification both in design and detail. For example, instead of the snap action switches, a single pole, double throw mercury switch tiltably supported by one section of the hinge plate and mechanically connected to the other section of the hinge plate could be utilized. Therefore, I do not choose to be limited to the particular embodiments specifically illustrated and described herein, but only by the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described my invention, that which is claimed is:

l. A control for a textile machine for processing sliver, roving and the like which comprises a rigid surface over which said sliver is adapted to be passed, a pair of movable sliver engaging members spaced along the path of said sliver and adapted to contact said sliver as it passes over said surface and move in response to variations in diameter of said sliver, means associated with said members which is sensitive to relative movement of at least a predetermined amount between said members and means responsive to said sensitive means for controlling said machine.

nania h ne 9 :,r r. s rs en ths. of 09 9 i te textile material, a stop motion adapted to be actuated upon the occurrence of sudden variations in the diameter of said material and comprising a base plate over which said material is adapted to be moved, a first material engaging member pivotally carried by said base plate, a second material engaging member pivotally connected to said first material engaging member and adapted to move both with and independently of said first material engaging member, detecting means mounted on said material engaging members for detecting relative motion between said members of at least a predetermined extent and means actuated in response to said detecting means for stopping said machine.

3. In a machine for processing lengths of sliver, roving and the like including a motor for driving the same, a stop motion comprising a member adapted to be mounted on said machine and having a substantial non-deflectable surface over which said sliver is adapted to be passed, a first sliver engaging member mounted on said surface member for pivotal movement about an axis-parallel to the plane thereof, a second sliver engaging member, means pivotallyconnecting said first and second members, said first and second members being adapted to contact said sliver and move in accordance with variations in the diameter thereof, a member rigidly mounted on said first member, means movable with said second member and cooperating with said rigidly mounted member to detect relative motion of at least a predetermined extent between said first and second members and means actuated in response to said last-named means for stopping said motor where said relative motion exceeds said predetermined extent.

4. A stop motion as in claim 3 wherein said means movable with said second member is adjustable to vary the extent of relative movement required to actuate the stop motion.

5 A stop motion as in claim 3 wherein said rigidly mounted member is an L-shaped finger and said means movable with said second member is a pair of opposed movement sensitive switches, the end of said finger projecting between said switches whereby movement of said predetermined extent of either of said first and second members actuates one of said switches.

6. A stopmotion as in claim 5 wherein said responsive means comprises a relay, the coil of which is connected in series with both of said switches, and the armature of which is connected in series with the power supply to said motor.

7. In a stop motion device for textile machines for processing sliver, roving and similar materials, the combination which comprises a plate having a surface over which the material is adapted to be passed, a pair of movable material engaging members spaced along the path of the material and adapted to contact the material as it passes over said surface, and control means adapted to be activated by relative movement of at least a predetermined amount between said members.

8. In a stop motion device for textile machines for processing sliver, roving and similar materials, the combination which comprises a plate having a surface over which the material is adapted to be passed, a pair of elongated material engaging members spaced along the path of the material and adapted to contact the material as it passes over said surface, a first selected one of said elongated members being pivoted for movement about an axis spaced from one end thereof and substantially parallel to the intended path of the material over said plate, means pivotally connecting the second member with said first selected member, and detecting means mounted on said members for detecting relative motion between said members.

9-. In a stop motion device for textile machines for processing sliver, roving and similar materials-the combination which comprises a plate adapted to be carried by said machine, said plate having an upper surface over which the material is adapted to be passed, a bracket mounted on said plate at one side of the intended path of said material, a rotatable pivot bar carried by said bracket, said pivot bar being rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the intended path of said material, a first elongated material contacting member carried by said pivot bar, said member being adapted to extend at substantially right angles over the intended path of said material, a second elongated material contacting member adapted to extend substantially at right angles over the intended path of said material, a hinge plate securing said second member to said first member to permit relative movement of said second member with re- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Thompson Jan. 20, 1942 Crum Dec. 10, 1946 

